


Back For You

by FallingLikeThis



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 17-Year-Old Harry, 19-Year-Old Louis, 21-Year-Old Harry, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Boys Kissing, Canon universe time travel, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Or my best attempt anyway, So obviously, Time Travel Fix-It, Unexplained Time Travel, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-24
Updated: 2015-04-24
Packaged: 2018-03-25 14:13:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3813544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallingLikeThis/pseuds/FallingLikeThis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>When Harry finally pries his eyes open though, he’s startled to find that he isn’t in the same place he’d fallen asleep. He had sullenly trudged back to his hotel room after Louis had thrown Harry out of his. He’d fallen asleep on a bed, but now here he is on someone’s sofa.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <em>A sofa that looks alarmingly similar to the one Louis and Harry used to have in the flat they shared after X-Factor. It makes Harry’s chest ache. They’d had some nice times in that flat.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <em>Looking around, Harry has to blink his eyes a few times to make sure that he isn’t seeing things. But no.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <em>He <em>is</em> back in their old flat.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or</p>
<p>Harry takes a little trip back in time. And it just may be the answer to all his prayers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [popsongdelusional](https://archiveofourown.org/users/popsongdelusional/gifts).



> When I saw the prompt _Canon universe time travel_ , I just couldn't resist. I hope you like it.

Harry blinks the sleep out of his eyes as he wakes from a terrible dream. He’d been fighting with Louis last night and that always makes him sleep poorly.

Last night was especially bad. He isn’t sure if this is a fight they can come back from with their friendship completely intact. Louis had just broken up with Eleanor and Harry had been trying to be a good friend and console him. But every time Harry had tried to assure Louis that it wasn’t the end of the world, that he’d find someone that he could give his heart to one day, Louis had pushed Harry away, looking at his best friend like he was just twisting the knife a bit deeper.

It had broken Harry’s heart. Because he hates hurting Louis but also, he’d realised much later, he’d been using the exact same words that Louis had used to let Harry down gently when he was seventeen. The one and only time Harry had seriously told Louis about his feelings. He’d fallen in love with his best friend. And Louis hadn’t felt the same.

Harry had been so sure at the time that Louis had loved him, too. He’d been positive that telling Louis would only lead to good things. It hadn’t. It had only lead to Louis letting him down gently and getting a girlfriend a couple of days later. Not to mention that damned tweet.

_Always in my heart @Harry_Styles . Yours sincerely, Louis_

Louis had meant it as reassurance that Louis wouldn’t let it change their friendship, that he would always be Louis’ favourite, Harry knew. But it had. Their friendship had grown strained until they’d come to the unspoken agreement to spend more time apart. Harry hadn’t liked it, but it did give his heart some time to heal. He’d never stopped loving Louis though, and anyone with eyes could see it. Which meant that stupid tweet got retweeted more than a million times over the course of the next four years. Each time Harry sees it in his mentions, it’s like reopening an old wound.

His stubborn heart just won’t let Louis go.

So Harry sits up, already planning on taking Louis his tea as a peace offering and hoping that they can talk, maybe somehow get past this latest hurdle in their friendship even if Louis asks for some space for a bit. Because a little Louis is better than none.

When Harry finally pries his eyes open though, he’s startled to find that he isn’t in the same place he’d fallen asleep. He had sullenly trudged back to his hotel room after Louis had thrown Harry out of his. He’d fallen asleep on a bed, but now here he is on someone’s sofa.

A sofa that looks alarmingly similar to the one Louis and Harry used to have in the flat they shared after X-Factor. It makes Harry’s chest ache. They’d had some nice times in that flat, until Harry had ruined it.

Looking around, Harry has to blink his eyes a few times to make sure that he isn’t seeing things. But no, sure enough, the coffee table with one leg slightly shorter than the others, a stack of beermats placed underneath to stop it wobbling, the clock with two short hands hanging above the mantelpiece, and the cat shaped door stopper with one eye hanging off. They’re all things that Harry is sure Louis threw away when they moved out, and yet they’re all right here in front of him. Maybe he left them for the new owners to have after packing all the items he was sentimental about into a box when he’d moved in with Eleanor. If that’s the case, then it can only mean one thing.

He _is_ back in their old flat.

_How?_ He’d been in a completely different country when he’d fallen asleep. Had he just gotten _really_ drunk and caught a flight back to London? Had he broken into someone else’s flat because he was a pitiful, drunken sap who couldn’t let go of the good ol’ days? No. No way. They have another show tonight, he wouldn’t have just disappeared on the other guys. He wouldn’t do that to his boys, or the fans, no matter how bad he felt.

A sound from the kitchen has Harry’s head whipping up. Someone is there, banging around on the stove, and they’re likely to call the police on him if they find him. He’d best sneak out while he’s still able.

As quietly as possible, Harry rises from the couch and tiptoes toward the front door. He glances back at the kitchen door over his shoulder to make sure that he’s remained unnoticed, but miscalculates his step and bangs his knee into that stupid side table that Louis insisted on keeping in the hall. Harry _always_ ran into that bloody thing and- _wait_.

Harry knows for a fact that Louis had taken that table when they’d moved out of the flat, separating for the good of their friendship (and Louis’ new relationship). Why on Earth is it back in this flat, four years later?

Two things happen in quick succession that have Harry questioning his sanity. First, when he looks up from steadying the table, he sees the calendar that he and Louis had always kept on the wall near the door to help them remember their schedules. _The exact same calendar_ with 2011 stamped on one corner of each page in big bold print. And second, the _“Harry? Is that you?”_ that calls out from the kitchen is strikingly familiar. So familiar that Harry’s heart lurches in his chest so hard that he has to press a hand to it to make sure that it won’t _actually_ manage an escape.

Harry turns slowly to see nineteen-year-old Louis standing frozen, staring at him from the archway to the kitchen.

“Harry?” Louis asks, voice shaking with fear and confusion as he watches his best friend from four years in the future.

Harry can’t make himself answer, he’s stuck staring at this younger version of Louis. The one he first fell in love with. He’s still as beautiful as Harry remembers him being back then, soft fringe falling into his blue eyes rimmed with black frames, skin unbelievably tanned, biceps large and thighs firm and strong. Harry couldn’t look away if he wanted to.

Harry doesn’t even notice when Louis starts to shake his head until a shaky _“no”_ comes from Louis’ lips.

“No, you’re not Harry. That’s impossible,” Louis tells himself before glancing quickly toward the staircase that leads up to their bedrooms. “Get out or I’m calling the police.”

Louis is already moving to grab the phone.

“Louis, wait,” Harry calls, reaching a hand out as though he can somehow hold Louis off from making the call even as his feet stay planted near the front door. “Please.”

Hearing Harry call his name does nothing to stop Louis from panicking. Nor does seeing the older version of Harry finally moving to close the distance between them.

“ _Boobear_ ,” Harry pleads just as Louis gets the dialled phone to his ear.

And that, Harry saying the nickname Louis’ mother had given him, makes Louis pause in his actions.

Louis looks at him, wide-eyed and anxious. “How do you…?”

Louis has only just told _his_ Harry that name. There hasn’t been time for it to get out to the general public yet. And he _really_ hopes it never does but he’s not going to hold his breath on that one.

“Because you told me,” Harry answers the unfinished question on Louis’ mind. “About four years ago. Or, I guess, for you it would just be a few days.”

Louis keeps staring, unblinking, until someone apparently picks up on the other end of the line and he’s glancing back at the phone in his hand.

“Oh, um, terribly sorry. I thought someone was breaking in but it was a false alarm… yes, I’ll be sure to check next time. Thank you,” Louis hangs up the phone but can’t bring himself to look at Harry again.

“Louis?” Harry asks, concerned, as Louis puts the phone down with unsteady hands.

Instead of answering, Louis just shakes his head and keeps his eyes on the floor. “I need tea.”

“Louis, I know this is confusing. It is for me too. I just woke up here but-”

Louis scoffs as he pulls down a teacup from the cupboard and then he’s rounding on Harry full of unchecked anger. “Confusing? You think this is _confusing_?!? There’s a man in my house that looks eerily similar to my best friend, who’s upstairs sleeping, by the way, and he’s trying to tell me that… what? He’s a _time traveller_? Is that what you’re saying? Because I can think of a few more colourful words than ‘confusing’ that might cover it. Try _insane_ , for one.”

When Louis’ runs out of steam for his rant, he slumps down in a seat at the kitchen table, seeming to give up on tea for the moment as he rests his head in his hands.

Harry watches Louis sadly. He’d never have wanted to cause Louis this turmoil. “If you think I’m insane, Lou, why did you hang up on the police?”

Louis chuckles to himself. It’s a bit hysterical. “I never said that _you_ were the one who’s insane, H. _I’m_ the one that thinks he’s being visited by time travellers.”

“Oh, has someone else stopped by?” Harry jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

Louis glares up at him but his lips are slightly upturned at the edges. “Yeah, your mum.”

“Heeey.”

Louis smiles for real now, because the response is so utterly _Harry_.

Harry’s heart does that lurch thing again and he dares to move further into the kitchen, taking over where Louis left off in making the tea. Louis had always complained that their old-fashioned kettle had it in for him anyway, always finding some way to burn himself with it.

Louis watches him as he works and it’s almost easy for a moment, Harry being here, back in their old flat. It feels right, Harry regrets that he ever had to leave.

“So, do we discover time travel in the next four years, then?” Louis asks as Harry steeps the tea.

“Not that I know of,” Harry shrugs, handing over Louis’ cup. “Like I said, I just woke up here. I don’t know what’s going on either.”

“So, do you have some great wisdom about the future to impart or something? How to make the band successful? How to live life to the fullest?” Louis asks, seeming to warm up to the idea of Harry travelling through time.

Harry takes a seat opposite Louis, playing with his fingers absently on top of the table, and offers him an apologetic smile.

“Not really. I think we do pretty well on our own without advice from our future selves.”

Louis’s eyes narrow and his head tilts to the side, as though he’s searching for another reason that Harry might have travelled to the past.

“Is today a significant day in history? Is something major going to happen that you have to warn me about?” Louis asks.

Harry’s about to deny the importance of the date when his glimpse of their calendar flashes into his memory. Louis used to mark off all the days with big, obnoxious, red X’s. The first unmarked day was… _October 1 st 2011_, the day before the ‘Always in my heart’ tweet. Which means that it’s the day seventeen-year-old Harry is going to confess his feelings to Louis.

Harry’s hurt at the memory must show on his face because Louis reaches out to cover one of Harry’s hands with his own, worry filling his tone.

“What is it, Harry? Does something bad happen?”

Harry only just manages to bring his eyes up to Louis’. He gives him a sad smile before his eyes slide back down to the table. “Not really. I mean, we figure it out. Everything eventually goes back to normal after a while.”

“What happens?” Louis squeezes Harry’s hand in concern and Harry twists his hand so that he can give Louis’ fingers a squeeze of their own. Mutual comforting. Harry misses this.

“Look, I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen in hopes that maybe things will go smoother for both of you, but you have to promise me that you won’t avoid it when you can tell it’s coming, Louis,” Harry says solemnly, looking intently at the other boy.

“Avoid it? I would nev-”

“Can it, Lou,” Harry cuts off Louis’ protests. “It’s what you do when you know something is going to happen that you don’t like. You ignore it for as long as humanly possible. I know you, remember?”

Louis deflates at Harry’s words, agreeing easily. “Fine. I promise.”

A little _too_ easily.

Harry continues to stare at Louis, making his suspicion known.

“What? I promised!” Louis argues. “I’d say ‘scouts honour’ and all, but we both know that I’m no scout.”

Harry scoffs and shakes his head before levelling Louis with his ‘serious’ face again.

“Don’t say anything until I get it all out first. Just _listen_ , Lou. Alright?” Harry tells the other boy, taking hold of both of his hands.

Louis looks at their joined hands with obvious concern, before nodding back at Harry slowly.

Harry nods back and takes a deep breath. It was hard enough doing this the first time. Maybe this time younger Harry will not get quite so hurt by the rejection.

“Today is the day that I… that _your_ Harry is going to tell you that he’s in love with you.”

Louis’ eyes widen and he looks like he wants to say something but he keeps true to his word and doesn’t speak, waiting for Harry to continue.

“And I know that you don’t feel the same, Lou, but maybe don’t pretend like you can carry on being best mates if you don’t think you really can. It’ll only hurt us both in the long run. I’m not blaming you. I wouldn’t, I know we both bottled things up that we should have just put out in the open. I’m just saying, be honest with him from the start to save us both the heartache.”

Harry falls silent then, knowing that if he keeps going, he won’t be able to hide the tremor in his voice or fight the tears that threaten to flood his eyes.

“Are you finished? Can I speak now?” Louis asks, sounding alarmingly timid.

Harry nods, feeling Louis squeeze his hands immediately after. “What did I do Harry? Did I hurt you?”

Harry looks at Louis, upset that this is the direction his thoughts are going. “You can’t help it if you don’t feel the same Louis. I _never_ held that against you.”

“No, I know, Harry. You wouldn’t. You’re too good for that. But, I mean, what _happened_ after you told me? Did I freak out? Did I lead you on?”

“No! You… you told me that we’d always be best mates. And then, two days later, you had a girlfriend and we sort of just grew apart for a while. But, like I said, we figured it out eventually. We’re back to being pretty close to what we were. At least, we were until last night,” Harry tells Louis, brows furrowed at the memory of their fight.

“What happened last night?” Louis asks, curious.

“You broke up with your girlfriend and I tried to comfort you, but for some reason that just seemed to upset you more,” Harry answers, shaking his head because he still doesn’t understand exactly what was going on in Louis’ head last night.

“Is this the same girlfriend I get in two days?”

“Yeah.”

“So, basically all of our problems stem from what happens today,” Louis realises. “No pressure or anything.”

There’s a sudden thump from upstairs and they both look up as though the ceiling will reveal all.

Harry gently pulls his hands from Louis’ and glances at his watch before granting Louis a shy smile.

“He’s preparing himself, trying to work up his courage. We have a while yet before he’ll be down,” Harry chuckles at the memory. It was agonising at the time. But he’s learned to laugh at his own awkwardness.

Louis looks up at the ceiling fondly before turning the exact same look on the Harry sitting across from him.

“Maybe I should…?” Louis nods upward, asking if he should go up.

“Nah, just give him time,” Harry answers.

Louis studies Harry for a minute before leaning forward.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” Harry answers, spreading his hands like he’s an open book and all the answers are right at Louis’ fingertips.

“Do you still…?” Louis doesn’t finish. As badly as he wants to know, it seems cruel to ask.

“Still what? Love you?” Harry has always seen through Louis, he knows him inside out.

Louis nods minutely, ashamed that he’s even asking. He’s the bastard that breaks Harry’s heart, what right does he have to ask that?

Harry grins at Louis again and it doesn’t hold any of the sadness that all of his others have. “I never stopped. And even if you never feel the same, Lou, you’ll always be one of the best parts of my life.”

Louis just looks at Harry full of wonder for a minute before blurting out an incredulous “How the fuck did your Louis ever turn you down?”

Harry goes from smiling happily to looking confused.

“What are you—“

“Look, I’m guessing that maybe your Louis was afraid. Of what, I don’t know. Coming out, things not working out, not living up to your expectations. Maybe all of it. I don’t have a fucking clue and I would like to smack other me across the face for it. Because it seems like he let you go on thinking he didn’t love the fuck out of you when I know _for a fact_ that he did. I speak with great authority, Harold, because I feel the same way for my Harry,” Louis says, standing from his seat and walking around the table to stand by Harry.

“You… he—” Harry is dumbstruck at the admission.

“Loved you,” Louis states confidently, reaching out to tug on one wavy strand of Harry’s hair, just like he used to when they were shorter curls. “ _Loves_ you. How could he not, Curly?”

Harry reaches gratefully for Louis’ hand, only to see his own pass through it.

Louis gasps at the sight as Harry looks up at him hopefully.

“Does this mean we’ve changed the future?” Louis asks.

“I don’t know,” Harry answers looking at his fading hand. “I hope so.”

“I know I’ve got a Harry of my own but I think I’m gonna miss you, future Harold,” Louis tells him affectionately.

Harry grins back at him before giving Louis a considering look.

“Can I ask for something?” Harry requests standing up so that he’s looking down on Louis. “While I still have time? Can I be selfish for one minute?”

“No time like the present,” Louis quips in answer, making Harry chuckle at his joke before his face falls serious again.

“Can I kiss you, Lou? I never—“

Louis doesn’t even wait for Harry to finish his explanation before he’s pressing their lips together and wrapping his arms around Harry’s waist. He opens his mouth when Harry’s tongue brushes against it and allows Harry to lick his way inside.

When they pull away, Louis can see that Harry is beginning to fade a bit all over.

“I don’t know where you’re going. But I hope it’s better now,” Louis says, desperately wishing that he could grab Harry and hold on, tether him to this time and place.

So, maybe he already has one Harry of his own, Louis never said he wasn’t greedy.

Harry gives Louis a watery smile. “Love you, Lou.”

“Love you, too, H. Always will, yeah?”

It’s hard for Louis keep the sadness at bay when Harry fades entirely but, he manages when he hears another thump upstairs. He laughs up at the ceiling and the wonderful boy hiding up in his room.

Louis makes more tea, drinking a cup on the sofa and watching telly, while patiently waiting for Harry to come down.

Eventually Harry does manage to make his way down the stairs, casting Louis a smile and a soft, “morning, Lou.”

“Morning, love.” Louis grins back, patting the seat next to him for Harry to take and throwing an arm over his shoulder when he does.

“Now, what should we do on this lovely Saturday, young Harold?”

“Actually, can I talk to you about something?” Harry dives right in. Louis is a little impressed with his determination.

“Sure, Haz,” Louis agrees, pulling Harry closer with the arm wrapped around his shoulders. “You can talk to me about anything.”

“I know,” Harry states, but he’s still starting to look nervous as hell.

When a minute passes without Harry saying anything, Louis nudges him.

“Well, what is it, babe? Is something wrong?”

Harry’s cheeks flush an adorable pink. Louis could totally help him out with this but he’s not going to, if only to savour moments like this.

“No, no,” Harry assures him. “Nothing’s wrong.”

There’s a barely concealed _“hopefully”_ on the end of Harry’s statement that Louis definitely catches.

“Spit it out, Haz,” Louis laughs. “Nothing will change how I think of you.”

That seems to make Harry even more nervous rather than help the way that Louis had intended and it breaks Louis’ heart that Harry seems so unsure of him.

“Okay,” Harry says, nodding to himself like he’s giving himself a pep talk in his head.

He turns to face Louis fully and doesn’t let his gaze falter as he takes a deep breath and confesses, “I’m in love with you.”

Louis knew it was coming but it still sends a surprising thrill down his spine and causes a dopey grin to grow on his face.

“Yeah?” he asks, because he may be planning to make Harry say and confirm it repeatedly for the rest of the day. _At least_.

Harry’s shoulders loosen with relief and he smiles before answering. “Yeah.”

Louis reaches out a hand to caress Harry’s cheek before leaning in for a swift kiss, pulling back almost immediately and laughing as Harry’s lips chase after him.

“Say it again.”

“Do you not have anything to say to _me_?” Harry asks with a playful pout, crossing his arms petulantly as part of the act.

“Yes,” Louis says leaning in close so that his lips are nearly brushing against Harry’s. “ _Say it again_.”

Harry huffs out a laugh and indulges Louis.

“I love you.”

“I know,” Louis grins before capturing Harry’s lips again. And even though it’s technically not their first kiss, it’s the one Louis will always count as first, because it’s pure and sweet and _magical_ , just as a first kiss should be.

They spend the day watching cheesy movies, cuddling, and kissing. There are a few instances when they almost veer off into sexy times, but Louis never lets it get that far, no matter how desperate Harry is for it. He doesn’t want to rush things and risk ruining this amazing thing that’s been placed at his feet. He’s going to go slow and cherish every moment. (Not too slow, mind. He has _needs_ , after all.)

That night, before they go to sleep, Harry wrapped in Louis’ arms, Louis finally gives Harry what he’s been craving all day long.

“I love you, too, H. Always.”

Harry hums in contentment and cuddles in closer.

The ‘Always in my heart’ tweet still happens the next day. It still becomes one of the most popular tweets _ever_ , but this time it doesn’t hurt when Harry sees it. This time it carries with it a sense of happily ever after, because _this time_ it comes with a completely different meaning.

Eleanor still comes into their lives, too. She’s Louis public girlfriend for the sake of image while Harry’s his private boyfriend for the sake of true love. Louis can see that it hurts Harry though, not being able to be with Louis out in the open, in front of the people who root for them no matter how much their relationship is denied in public. So, after four long years of putting up with it, Louis calls it quits on the fake relationship and focuses on his real one, to Harry’s endless delight.

After five years, they come out to the public. Not everyone is happy about it, but they are congratulated by all the people who matter and their love flourishes in the spotlight.

Not even six months later, Louis proposes. He knows Harry’s been thinking about it for a while when Louis decides that this is on him. After all, Harry travelled through time for him, he shouldn’t have to do _all_ the work.

So, Louis gets down on one knee and asks Harry to commit to loving him forever.

Harry agrees with happy tears in his eyes and Louis kisses the breath from his lungs, thankful that someone, somewhere, _somehow_ decided to send future Harry back to him that day. Because he doesn’t even want to imagine what his life would look like without Harry in his arms.

Good thing he won’t have to.

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to C, K, and Z. The most amazing betas, who I am pretty sure are _actually_ capable of magic.


End file.
